GOP Zeroing In on Mollohan's Problems

Washington Post ^ | September 29, 2006 | Chris Cillizza and Jim VandeHei

[Ooh-Ah]

MORGANTOWN, W.Va., Sept. 28 -- Nine college-age guys stood silently Thursday morning across the street from Rep. Alan B. Mollohan's (W.Va.) office, holding signs that read "Be My Cellmate" and "Man of Steal."

They were trying to bring attention to allegations that the Democratic incumbent used his congressional power to get rich and reward friends. But few people were listening. "We just want some answers," says Tommy Phillips, 25, who helped organize the rather flaccid protest.

There is only one way for Republicans to win in this Democratic district: convince voters that Mollohan is a crook. The lunchtime protest is the least sophisticated part of a destroy-the-Democrat strategy that includes operatives in Washington, a rich home builder in Texas, conservative activists in this college town and challenger Chris Wakim himself.

The target is the 12-term representative's complicated financial dealings. Mollohan, a member of the Appropriations Committee, set up several nonprofit groups over the past decade or so to administer millions of dollars he was steering to his rural district. The money benefited friends and big donors.

In a four-year period starting in 2000, Mollohan's net worth ballooned from about $500,000 to more than $6 million. The chief reason for his newfound wealth was real estate investments with one of those friends who benefited from his work in Congress. Mollohan has denied any wrongdoing, saying he was simply helping his district by maximizing its share of federal money.

That is a point that resonates with many voters here. But as the controversy reached a boil this spring, Mollohan was forced to step down from the House ethics committee. He also admitted he misstated some of his financial dealings in public records.

[nj26]

Kinda pales in comparison to the pedophiliac from Florida in Congress, though, and the cover-up of his behavior.

[sageb1]

"Kinda pales in comparison to the pedophiliac from Florida in Congress, though, and the cover-up of his behavior."

There is no proof that there was any deliberate cover-up.

[kylaka]

Isn't one a private matter, and the other a public matter?
I seem to remember that "private" line of logic as in "nobody's business" from somewhere. Now where oh where did I hear that?

[rfp1234]

--Kinda pales in comparison to the pedophiliac from Florida in Congress, though, and the cover-up of his behavior.--

True. However, the Dims' leadership has worked like heck to delay (no pun intended) any investigations of Mollohan, and to shield him from public scrutiny. Ditto for William "The Freezer" Jefferson, D-La. We haven't seen all the facts for these two (yet). October is coming so I'll stay tuned.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

Most Massachusetts politicians, who are either Democrats or Republicans from every political level, have this guy beat. I'll leave it to Howie Carr to continue to explain further since he does so well with the issue of political corruption.